Is Shamim's ballot flash unlawful?

A lawyer as well as field-level officials of the polls said that it was a criminal offence to cast the vote publicly. However, the Election Commission (EC) secretary said there had been no violation. Shamim cast the vote at the Narayanganj Bar Academy polling centre, along with many supporters and in the presence of journalists. Presiding Officer Bahauddin told the reporters that after taking the ballot paper from the polling officer, Shamim Osman cast his vote for mayoral candidate openly, without using the secret room, which violates discipline. Swadhin Malik, a senior lawyer, said: “Publicly casting the vote is a violation of the electoral rules. It is a criminal offence. As such, the EC will have legal authority to take action against Shamim Osman.” EC Secretary Muhammad Abdullah, on the other hand, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The secret ballot rule is there to ensure the safety of voters. If a voter takes his safety into his own hands and casts his vote openly, it would not be a criminal offence, as far as I know.” When asked about the matter at a press briefing, Shamim Osman replied: “The journalists have not found any wrongdoing to report on in this election. So they have fixated on this issue instead.”